TROY UNIVERSITY
PSY 4451
History and Systems of Psychology
SYLLABUS
Term 2 2012
October 15 – December 16
Instructor: Dr. Tom Reiner, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Phone: (850) 458-4729
E-mail: treiner@troy.edu
Office Hours: I am available by e-mail at any time. I will respond to your emails within 48
hours. I have office hours on Mondays and Wednesdays between 12 noon and 5 pm Central
Standard Time.
Class Day/Time: Tuesdays, 5:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Class Location: Pensacola Campus and VTC to Eglin Airforce Base
INSTRUCTOR EDUCATION
PhD in Experimental Psychology
University of Nevada, Reno
MA in Psychology
California State University, Sacramento
BA in Psychology
California State University, Sacramento
TEXTBOOK(S) AND/OR OTHER MATERIALS NEEDED
Brennan, J. F. (2003). History and systems of psychology (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Prentice Hall.
The textbook provider for Troy Global Campus is MBS Direct. The web site for textbook
purchases is http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/troy.htm.
Students should have their textbook from the first week of class. Not having your textbook
will not be an acceptable excuse for late work. Students who add this course late should
refer to the “Late Registration” section for further guidance.
LATE REGISTRATION
Students who register during the first week of the term, during late registration, will already
be one week behind. Students who fall into this category are expected to catch up with all
of Week #1 and Week #2's work by the end of Week #2. No exceptions, since two weeks
constitutes a significant percentage of the term's lessons. Students who do not feel they can
meet this deadline should not enroll in the class. If they have registered, they should see
their registrar, academic adviser, GoArmyEd/eArmyU representative, or Military Education
officer to discuss their options.
Also note that late registration may mean you do not receive your book in time to make up
the work you missed in Week #1. Not having your book on the first day of class is not an
excuse for late work after the deadlines in the Schedule.
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PREREQUISITES
Six semester hours of psychology
FLEXIBILITY STATEMENT: The instructor reserves the right to make minor changes to
this syllabus. Students will be notified of any change in advance of its occurrence.
STUDENT EXPECTATION STATEMENT
Students are expected to read the required material before the next class and to participate
in class discussions, follow directions for their assignments and turn them in on time, be
prepared for exams when they are scheduled, and check their Troy email on a regular basis.
CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION
Study of the development of psychology from its historical antecedents with special
emphasis placed on contemporary schools and systems of psychological thought.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE
1) Discuss psychology’s historical roots.
2) Demonstrate a fundamental knowledge of psychology’s prevailing worldview as it has
changed through the ages
3) Demonstrate a fundamental knowledge of 20th century/current theory.
4) Express an awareness of and tolerance for the complexity and diversity for the human
species.
5) Demonstrate a degree of self-understanding by examining the theoretical explanations
of current theory
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Exams: There will be three exams covering material from the text, class lecture, handouts,
and other material such as films and videos. Each exam will consist of 25 questions worth 1
point each (75 points total).
Term Paper: You will be required to write a 7 to 10 page term paper in APA format on a
topic your instructor will assign during the first week of the course. The term paper is worth
50 points. Points will be deducted if your paper does not adhere to APA format, if you have
consistent problems with grammar, if you do not adhere to the reference requirement, or if
your paper runs too short or too long. The paper will not be accepted via email.
Reference Requirement: You will need to cite 6 to 10 reference sources. One source needs
to be a book (you may cite your text). The remaining sources need to be peer reviewed
journal articles. You may not cite web pages or Wikipedia as references in your paper. You
may include archival or original source material but most of your sources need to have been
published within the last 10 years.
*There will be a 10% point deduction for any paper turned in later than the time of the final
exam. You cannot earn an A for turning in a late paper.
Optional Assignments: There may be occasional opportunities to earn extra points.
You will need to be present for any optional in-class assignments and you will not be able to
make them up.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Students are expected to attend all classes for the duration of each class meeting. Missing
three or more classes will result in an FA grade (attendance F) in the course.
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MAKE-UP WORK POLICY
Missing any part of this schedule may prevent completion of the course. If you foresee
difficulty of any type (i.e., an illness, employment change, etc.) which may prevent
completion of this course, notify the instructor as soon as possible. Failure to do so will
result in failure for an assignment and/or failure of the course. See “Attendance,” above.
If I have not heard from you by the deadline dates for assignments or exams, no
make-up work will be allowed (unless extraordinary circumstances existed, such as
hospitalization). Requests for extensions must be made in advance and accompanied by
appropriate written documentation if the excuse is acceptable to the instructor. "Computer
problems" is not an acceptable excuse.
*There will be a 10% point deduction on any makeup exam, regardless of the
reason for the makeup. You cannot earn an A on a makeup exam.
INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY
This incomplete grade policy replaces all other incomplete grade policies as of August 1,
2006. The instructor may report an Incomplete (grade of I) for a student whose progress in
a course has been satisfactory (e.g., the student is passing the course), but who is unable
to complete the course grading requirements because of documented circumstances beyond
his/her control at the discretion of the faculty person.
METHOD OF EVALUATION AND ASSIGNMENT OF GRADES
Grades will be based on the total points for the three exams (75 points) and the term paper
(50 points). All grades will be posted in the Grade Center in Blackboard and will be assigned
according to the following scale:
125 Points Possible
113 - 125
100 - 112
88 - 99
75 - 87
≤ 74
A
B
C
D
F
FA
90 – 100%
80 – 89%
70 – 79%
60 – 69%
59% and below
F due to lack of attendance
FA: “FA” indicates the student failed due to attendance. This grade will be given to any
student who disappears from the course for three or more weeks. See the Attendance
section of this syllabus for additional information.
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Students should refer to the Standards of Conduct section of the Oracle, the student
handbook, for policies regarding misconduct. Students who engage in academic misconduct
will receive a grade of "F" for the course. Your work may be submitted to an on-line
plagiarism detection service. Cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information
to the University constitutes academic misconduct, and disciplinary procedures specified in
the Student Handbook will be followed.
Plagiarism Policy
The College of Educations defines plagiarism as:
 Three consecutive words that are not common professional language used from another
source without quotation
 Rephrasing another author's words without appropriate citation
 Using another author's ideas or data without appropriate citation
 Submitting another author's or student's writing as one's own
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Directly quoting a source without using appropriate APA style citation to show that it is a
direct quote.
Intentionally taking information from a source and not giving appropriate credit
Students who commit plagiarism will be subject to disciplinary actions as outlined in The
Oracle for Academic Misconduct and violation of the Honor Code. The Standards of Conduct
and Disciplinary Procedures define university procedures in these matters. Students have
the right to request consideration by the Student Services Conduct Board.
Consequences for plagiarism in PSY 4451 are as follows: Plagiarism will result in a
grade of zero for the assignment.
STUDENT EMAIL ACCOUNTS
The University provides an email account for all currently enrolled students. Please access
your account by going to https://mail.troy.edu. Then read the note at the bottom of the
screen to determine your User ID and Password. The University uses this means to
communicate with all students.
LIBRARY SUPPORT
The Libraries of Troy University provide access to materials and services that support the
academic programs. The address of the University College Library Web site, which is for all
University College and eTroy students, is http://uclibrary.troy.edu. This site provides access
to the Library's Catalog and Databases, as well as to links to all Campus libraries and to
online or telephone assistance by Troy Library staff. Additionally, the Library can also be
accessed by choosing the "Library" link from the University's home page, www.troy.edu .
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Students with disabilities, or those who suspect they have a disability, must register with
the Disability Services Coordinator in order to receive accommodations. Students currently
registered with the Disability Services Office are required to present their Disability Services
Accommodation Letter to each faculty member at the beginning of each term. If you have
any questions, contact the Disability Services Coordinator.
FACULTY EVALUATION: In the eighth week of each term, students will be notified of the
requirement to fill out a course evaluation form. These evaluations are completely
anonymous and are on-line. Further information will be in the email notifying you of the
location and availability of the evaluation.
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Schedule of Classes
Week
Date
Topic
1
10/16
Ch. 2 Psychological Foundations in Ancient Greece
Ch. 3 From Rome through the Middle Ages
2
10/23
Ch. 3 / Ch. 4 The Reawakening of Intellectual Life
Ch. 5 The Emergence of Modern Science
3
10/30
Ch. 5 /Ch. 6 Sensationalism and Positivism: The French Tradition
4
11/06
Exam # 1 (Ch 2–6)
Ch. 7 Mental Passivity: The British Tradition
Ch. 8 Mental Activity: The German Tradition
5
11/13
Ch. 8 / Ch. 10 Nineteenth-Century Bases of Psychology
Ch. 11 The Founding of Modern Psychology
6
11/20
Ch. 11 / Ch. 12 American Functionalism
7
11/27
Exam #2 (Ch. 7-8, 10–12)
Ch. 13 The Gestalt Movement
Ch. 14 Psychoanalysis
8
12/04
Ch. 15 Behaviorism
Ch. 16 The Third Force Movement
9
12/11
Exam #3 (Ch. 13 – 16)
Term Paper Due
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College of Education
Psychology Program
As a department of faculty and students dedicated to the Knowledge, Skills, Values, that are
the Learning Goals for Undergraduate Psychology Majors, posited by American Psychology
Association (APA)*, we strive to help students reach the following learning goals and
develop the values associated with the science and application of psychology.
1. Students will demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical
perspectives, and empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology.
2. Student will understand and apply basic research methods in psychology.
3. Students will respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and the
scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes.
4. Students will understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and
organizational issues.
5. Students will be able to weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and reflect
other values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a discipline.
6. Students will demonstrate information competence and the ability to use computers
and other technology for many purposes.
7. Students will be able to communicate effectively in a variety of formats
8. Students will recognize, understand, and respect the complexity of sociocultural and
international diversity.
9. Students will develop insight into their own and other’s behavior and mental
processes and apply effective strategies for self-management and self-improvement.
10. Students will emerge from the major with realistic ideas about how to implement
their psychological knowledge, skills, and values in occupational pursuits, in a variety
of settings.
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Retrieved April 2011 from http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/about/psymajorguidelines.pdf; PDF document available for download.
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